Liphook United Celebrates

Youth and Mini Soccer Presentation Evening 2010

At the end of each season, Liphook United Football Club celebrates the participation and successes of its players. This year on Saturday 5 June, the Club hosted a spectacular presentation evening at The Millennium Centre, Liphook.

In three sessions during the evening, parents, carers and relatives participated with the Club's executive committee, managers and administrators in celebrating the achievements of their youth and mini soccer players. The youngest players in the first session were treated to the sight of hundreds of trophies and medals set out in preparation for the evening ahead.

Liphook United Vice-Chairman, Martin Feast, welcomed everyone to the presentation evening and introduced the members of the Club's executive committee. At the close of this season, he said, the Club has 14 youth and mini soccer teams with over 150 youngsters training and playing in non-competitive and competitive matches, and Martin summarised some of their achievements that brought great honour to Liphook United and to our community.

He drew attention to the high levels of sportsmanship of Liphook United players which has resulted in the Under 12 Tigers and the Under 17s teams receiving the North East Hampshire Youth League Sportsmanship Award and the club as a whole coming a very close second for the overall League Sportsmanship trophy. Over the coming week, several teams will be honoured at League presentation evenings as League Champions, runners-up, and many more have maintained, if not improved, their position in the League rankings.

Liphook United FC Presentation Evening.

For each team in turn, the team manager gave a brief report of their team's accomplishments and successes whilst photographs of their teams and players in action were projected on to the massive screen behind.

Liphook United Chairman, Nigel Marr, then presented each player, to rapturous applause, with an individual medal or trophy for their hard work and dedication to the Club over the season.

Then, typically based upon performance and/or votes, specific players were called upon to receive awards from the Chairman: Player of the Year, Sportsman of the Year and Most Improved Player.

Following a photo session (see below), it was then the turn of the manager, coach or administrator to receive a presentation of something bubbly in thanks for their work on behalf of the Club.

Two special awards were also presented. The Chairman presented a trophy to Alan and Sue Day in appreciation of their services to the Club over many years. The Liphook United Youth Sportsman cup was presented to a member of the Under 15 Wasps who not only has played for the Wasps but has given up his time to help with the training of the Under 8 Dragons and Crusaders.

In his closing remarks on each session, Martin Feast, noted that the successes of the players and teams were made possible by the enthusiastic band of parents and volunteers that made it all happen, and invited any interested parents to come forward and join in. The next Club event will be the Terry Edwards Fun Day on 11 July and additional volunteers would be greatly appreciated to help make the day run smoothly.

Thanks were expressed to the presentation evening team: organiser - Andy Bicknell, music - Mark Culverhouse, photography - Sara Fawcett and visual presentation - Alexander and Neil Pirie. Andy Bicknell said, "Thank you all for making this another fantastic night in the history of Liphook United FC. Without doubt, this is the best we have ever done!"

Here are some photos of our teams with their trophies and the award winners. Select the age group you want from the sidebar.

Under 6s

Under 6s with their manager, Andy D'Amato(The other players were at Beaver Scout Camp.)

Under 7s

Under 7s with their manager, Mark Culverhouse(The other players were at Beaver Scout Camp.)

Under 8s

Under 8 Dragons

Under 8 Dragons with their manager, Steve Davis(The other players were at Beaver Scout Camp.)

Sportsman of the Year

Most Improved Player

Player of the Year

Under 8 Crusaders

Under 8 Crusaders with their manager, Mark Culverhouse, and coach, Mark Angear